Skip to main content
European Commission logo
enen
European Commission

Humanitarian aid

What the EU does

The European Union provides humanitarian assistance wherever it is needed most, responding quickly to both human-made disasters and natural hazards. At the focus of this effort is a strong commitment to protect the most vulnerable victims.

Based on international humanitarian principles and the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, the EU’s support is guided by fairness and impartiality. Aid reaches affected communities without discrimination - regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation. Together, the EU Member States and institutions are one of the leading donors of humanitarian aid, standing in solidarity with those in urgent need across the world.

Facts about EU humanitarian aid

+110 countries
We have reached millions of people in need across the world
+40 countries
We have a field network of over 400 experts and offices in more than 40 countries
€1.9 billion
The EU’s initial annual humanitarian budget for 2025

Areas of action

Food assistance

Ensuring that most hungry and vulnerable people in crises have access to safe and nutritious food

Health

Humanitarian health assistance to the most vulnerable

Nutrition

EU actions to address child undernutrition

Protection

Ensuring the protection of communities, from delivering basic humanitarian assistance to deploying peacekeeping troops

Shelter and settlements

Humanitarian shelter and settlements as an immediate response to, or in anticipation of, a disaster

Learn more about areas of humanitarian aid

Key achievements

  • The European Commission has been providing humanitarian aid since 1992 in over 110 countries, reaching millions of people across the globe each year.
  • With less than 1% of the EU budget – just around €3 per EU citizen each year – the EU brings life-saving support to millions of people worldwide. This contribution has a powerful impact, reaching those caught in some of the world’s most devastating crises.
  • In recent years, EU humanitarian aid has been a crucial lifeline in conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, Palestine, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, helping communities survive in the face of hardship.
  • The EU humanitarian aid is also mobilised in cases of climate emergencies – for example, the drought in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, the floods in Bangladesh and El Niño effect in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean.
  • The EU’s humanitarian aid places a strong emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable, including children, women, people with disabilities, and other groups. A key part of this effort is supporting education in emergencies, so that children can continue learning even during conflict or displacement.
  • The EU invests in preparedness initiatives to help communities better withstand future crises, including early warning systems and local disaster response training.

In focus

Participation of Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner, to the European Humanitarian Forum 2025
EU pledges €2.3 billion at European Humanitarian Forum 2025

The European Commission has pledged over €2.3 billion in humanitarian aid for 2025 to address urgent global crises, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. Announced at the European Humanitarian Forum, this commitment comes amid record levels of global need, with over 305 million people requiring urgent assistance. The EU and its Member States also committed to strengthening humanitarian diplomacy, upholding international humanitarian law, and promoting coordinated responses to fragile situations.

Read more

Related information